Counting the cost of revaluation

摘要

Council tax revaluation in England may have started on 1 April, but it really kicked-off last week, with the launch of the Tories' local government manifesto. Opposition leader Michael Howard announced he would scrap revaluation - saving taxpayers an extra £270 per household a year. So are the Tories saving us from an impending problem, or just scaremongering in an attempt to win a few votes? Speaking to local government finance experts, it becomes apparent there is a potential problem. Figures bandied around by the Tories are extreme, but there is an element of truth. However, the Conservatives' solution - to scrap the entire revaluation process - is unlikely to help. The current council tax system is based on house values from almost 15 years ago. As one expert told The MJ: 'Council tax should be revalued more often - then we wouldn't get into these messes.'